The Apocryphon of John

The Apocryphon of John

# **The Apocryphon of John from the Nag Hammadi Library**  

The *Apocryphon of John*, written between 120-180 AD, is one of the most important texts in the Sethian Gnostic tradition. It presents a post-ascension appearance of Jesus to the Apostle John, during which Jesus imparts secret knowledge about the nature of God, creation, and the origins of the material world. The text was discovered in the *Nag Hammadi Library* and has long been associated with Sethian Gnosticism, a movement that diverged sharply from both Jewish and early Christian teachings. While some regard it as a key source for understanding Gnosticism, others, including early Church writers, dismissed it as a heretical work with no apostolic authority.  

## **Origins and Reception**  

The *Apocryphon of John* was known to early Christian theologians, particularly Irenaeus of Lyon, who referenced it in *Against Heresies* (c. 180 AD). He described it as one of the many false writings used by heretical groups to deceive those unfamiliar with the true scriptures:  

> “An indescribable number of secret and illegitimate writings, which they themselves have forged, to bewilder the minds of foolish people, who are ignorant of the true scriptures.” (*Against Heresies* 1.20.1)  

Irenaeus’ critique highlights a key issue with the text—it lacks apostolic authority and presents a worldview fundamentally different from that found in Jewish and Christian scriptures. Unlike the canonical Gospels, which are rooted in historical events and eyewitness testimonies, the *Apocryphon of John* is a later theological work reflecting Sethian cosmology rather than the teachings of Jesus and the apostles.  

## **Themes and Content**  

The *Apocryphon of John* presents a radical reinterpretation of creation, focusing on the concept of a hidden, unknowable God beyond the material world. The text begins with John in deep grief after the crucifixion of Jesus. Suddenly, Christ appears to him in a vision, offering secret teachings:  

> “It happened one day when John, the brother of James – who are the sons of Zebedee – went up and came to the temple, that a Pharisee named Arimanios approached him and said to him, ‘Where is your master, whom you followed?’ And he said to him, ‘He has gone to the place from which he came.’” (*Apocryphon of John*)  

This passage establishes the setting for Jesus’ revelation, which focuses on the true nature of God, the flawed creator (Demiurge), and the divine realm.  

### **The True God and Barbelo**  

Unlike the Hebrew Bible’s portrayal of a single, personal Creator, the *Apocryphon of John* describes an ultimate, unknowable divine entity called the Invisible Spirit:  

> “He is the invisible Spirit, whom one cannot comprehend, whom one cannot see, and who has always existed eternally.” (*Apocryphon of John*)  

From this divine source emanates Barbelo, a feminine principle associated with forethought and wisdom:  

> “She became the first thought, the image of the Spirit. She became the womb of everything, for she is prior to them all, the mother-father, the first man, the Holy Spirit.” (*Apocryphon of John*)  

This trinity of the Invisible Spirit, Barbelo, and the divine Christ-child reflects the Sethian reinterpretation of divinity, differing from both Jewish monotheism and Christian teachings about the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  

### **The Creation of the Material World**  

One of the most controversial aspects of the *Apocryphon of John* is its rejection of the biblical doctrine of creation. In Genesis, God creates the world and declares it “very good.” In contrast, the *Apocryphon of John* introduces a flawed creator, the Demiurge (Yaldabaoth), who is ignorant of the true God and creates the material world out of arrogance:  

> “And when he saw creation which surrounds him and the multitude of angels around him who had come forth from him, he said to them: ‘I am a jealous God and there is no other God besides me.’ But by announcing this, he indicated to the angels who attended him that another God does exist.” (*Apocryphon of John*)  

This view stands in direct opposition to the biblical affirmation that creation is good. Sethians saw the physical world as a prison for divine sparks trapped in human bodies, a concept foreign to both Judaism and early Christianity.  

### **The Role of Sophia**  

Sophia, a key figure in Gnostic mythology, plays a crucial role in the creation story. She acts independently of the divine realm and, in her error, gives birth to the Demiurge:  

> “And when she saw what her desire produced, it changed into a form of a lion-faced serpent. Its eyes were like lightning fires which flash.” (*Apocryphon of John*)  

This portrayal of Sophia as a fallen divine being contradicts the biblical depiction of wisdom as a positive attribute of God. The Sethian narrative reinterprets Genesis, placing Sophia in a tragic role that distances her from the Hebrew concept of divine wisdom.  

## **Why the Apocryphon of John Differs from Christian Teachings**  

The *Apocryphon of John* reflects the Sethian attempt to incorporate Jesus into their mythological framework while redefining essential theological concepts. Unlike the Gospels, which emphasize Jesus as the Son of God who redeems humanity through His death and resurrection, the *Apocryphon of John* presents Jesus as a revealer of secret knowledge rather than a savior in the traditional Christian sense.  

Furthermore, the text's portrayal of creation as fundamentally flawed contradicts both Jewish and Christian theology. In Genesis, God’s creation is good, and in Christian doctrine, Jesus comes to restore humanity through resurrection, not through secret knowledge. The Sethian view of salvation as an escape from the material world differs drastically from the Christian hope of bodily resurrection and the renewal of creation.  

## **Why Christians Should Reject Sethianism**  

While the *Apocryphon of John* provides valuable insights into the beliefs of the Sethian Gnostics, it should not be considered a reliable source for understanding Jesus or early Christianity. The text does not have apostolic authority, and its teachings diverge significantly from both Jewish scripture and the teachings of Jesus and His disciples.  

For those interested in exploring early Christian thought beyond the canonical texts, works like the *Gospel of Thomas*, *Gospel of Truth*, and *Gospel of Philip* provide better insights, as they are more aligned with Valentinian traditions, which maintain a stronger connection to Christian themes. The *Apocryphon of John*, by contrast, represents a radical departure from Christianity, making it an unreliable source for understanding Jesus’ true teachings.  

## **Conclusion**  

The *Apocryphon of John* is an important historical document for studying Sethian Gnosticism, but it should not be mistaken for a Christian text. Its rejection of the biblical doctrine of creation, its reinterpretation of God, and its emphasis on secret knowledge make it incompatible with both Jewish and early Christian beliefs. While it offers insight into a particular religious movement of the early centuries, its teachings should be recognized as a late and non-apostolic distortion of the Gospel message.

The Apocryphon of John (120-180AD)


The Apocryphon of John describes an appearance of Jesus to the Apostle John (after Jesus’ ascension) in which Jesus provides John with secret knowledge, much like other accounts in the tradition of Sethian texts. It is described in a work from AD 180 called Against All Heresies.

Most people would tell you that if you want to understand Gnosticism you should study the Apocryphon of John however I would have to disagree with this I would advise you to study the Gospel of Thomas and Philip 

Why Isn't It Considered Reliable?

In Judaism and Christianity, God's creation is good from the start. The Apocryphon of John's creation story denies this theological starting point. No Christian accepting the creation as it is from Genesis would see the Apocryphon of John story as true or credible.

From a very early date, this book was identified as a Sethian Gnostic fabrication and late document that has no Apostolic eyewitness connection to the Apostle John. In Against Heresies we read the text was one of “an indescribable number of secret and illegitimate writings, which they themselves have forged, to bewilder the minds of foolish people, who are ignorant of the true scriptures.”

How Does it confirm or give support to the Life of Jesus?

The Apocryphon of John presumes the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus. It also affirms that John was the brother of James and the son of Zebedee, and that John was an important disciple of Jesus (who is described as a Nazarene). Jesus is also given the title “Savior” (although the meaning of this term is different in Sethianism).

Where (and Why) Does It Differ from the Reliable Accounts?

The Apocryphon of John is concerned primarily with an account of the creation of the world. The text was discovered in the Nag Hammadi library as the first document in a series of Sethian Gnostic texts and it includes the most detailed Sethian creation mythology. The role and position of Jesus in the Godhead is very different from biblical canonical descriptions as a result of the preconceived ideas of Sethians who wrote this text. Sethian believers appear to have accepted the historicity of Jesus but attempted to place Him within their preconceived Sethian beliefs.